History

In 1958, Crombie Service Company (later renamed NorthWest Engineering Service, Inc.) was formed by long-time friends Allen Crombie and Gene Garoutte. They had attended the same high school in Eugene, served in WWII, and studied Mechanical Engineering at Oregon State College. They were among the first to recognize a radical idea at the time: heating and ventilation had become so complex, engineers were needed “in the trenches”, taking hands-on measurements and making adjustments, to ensure systems were properly balanced. As the HVAC industry developed, building designs and mechanical systems became even more sophisticated, and the need for a company that could solve problems and work as an independent advocate for architects, engineers, and contractors became vital. These early principles helped form our unique approach to commissioning and maintaining building system performance.

After three decades of building a professional legacy in the Portland area, Al and Gene retired in 1991. Subsequently, NWESI formed an Employee Stock Ownership Plan. As an employee-owned company, the men and women of NWESI have continued to build on a foundation of technical excellence, integrity, and a passion for client service.

“The longer one is acquainted with NWESI it becomes evident they’re a competent group that gets the job done with ingenuity and little assistance. I’ve utilized their talents on numerous small projects for over a decade and found them eager to develop strategies for design solutions that maintain a superior economic balance with quality products.”